The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-05
THEY ARE PARDONED.
THE KELLY BROTHERS RELIEVED
The Shooting Earas at Dawson Ga. IN Which a
Circus Man Was Killed An UnIust Charge
Nov Prominent In Florida.
Savannah News.

ATLANTA. GA. May so. r. Stephens
and j. VI. Griggs, of Dawson. VIII" have
for some weeks been engaged in an eff
fort To obtain pardon for John r. and
Charles \. Kelly. brothers. came to At
lanta Saturday night with their clients.
who voluntarily surrendered. \ hear
ing was heard before the Governor to-
day and this afternoon the pardon was
granted. The Governor based hi~ action
on the numerous petitions from Terrell
County, signed by the recent grand jury
survivors of the traverse jury who con
victed. judge Harrrll who presided. the
prosecuting attorney and the county
officials and eX-otliciO officers. the ac-
quittal of the murder Of &. I. AmeS on
the ground of self-defens.. and that on
the best legal authority. the verdict of
voluntary manslaughter on account Of
the accidental killing of Oxford cannot
be sustained 10y the law ami the facts in
this case.
The applicants for executive clemrn-
cy are two of Florida most prominent
citizens, and their story IL an Interesting
one The Constitution tells the follow
ing story of their lives:
Some wears ago John T.. Kelly and
Charles y. Kelly. brothers. were two of
Terrell COuntyS best and most highly
Q
intelligent upright men who hal. by
their genial qualities and sterling iuteg-
ritv. won the respect and esteem of all
their neighlSprS. No men in Dawson.
their home. stood higher. Such a thing
"a either ever being charged with crime
of any kind had never been thought of.
The story j, soon told.
On November ,. 1870. Ames Circus.
one of those struggling affairs whose
H.
hangers-on. showed in Dawson. just
before the circus opened in the evening a
man named Russell. resident of Daw-
son county. started. with his WIFE and
family. into side show. lie had pIIr-
chased tickets AT the ticket wagon. hut
a. he started In the doOrkeeper stopped
him. saving that he was trying to pass in
more than he had paid for. Russell de-
MED this. claiming that he had paid fOT
them all. Without paving any atten-
ton to Mr.. RuSsell's statement the door
keeper grabbed Mrs. Russell. who had
gone ahead and was about To enter the
tent. and drew her hack. handling her
pretty roughly. Russell then and there
had an alteration with the dOorkeep@r,
who. evidently believing discretion one
Of the leading traits Of valiant nature.
made for the inside of the tent. Russell
followed him
just about this time John X. Kelly,
accompanied by his young wife and ~is-
ter-in-law. appeared upon the scene. and
knowing nothing of the trouble. wanted
/ to 90 in and see the side show. While
the Kelly party stood waiting outside
the ropes for an opportunity to 20 in "A
new doorkeeper. evidently one of the
| fighting men of the circus, came out
I to take hand in the running of affairs.
/ in his hand he held murderous hooking
/ derringer. Making for Kelly. whom he
I doubtless mistook for Russell. the circus
man pushed him back roughly. saving
I I'm going to put a stop 10 this swind-
I ling business. There Is going 10 be no
more of this passing in more people than
I you pay for.
1 He kept on pushing Kelly until the lat
! ter decided that he had been pushed